Adjustable toothbrush or related article



June 1, 1954 M. KRUEGER ADJUSTABLE TOOTHBRUSH OR RELATED ARTICLE Filed Oct. 17, 1952 FIG. 6

INVENTOR FIG. 5

phi

FIG. 4

MAX KRUEGER ATTORNEY l atentecl June 1, 195 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE TOOTHBRUSH OR RELATED ARTICLE Claims.

This invention relates to tooth brushes having movable heads and to structures of relatively simple but positive action to maintain the heads in adjustable position.

Many adjustable tooth brushes have been proposed. They are generally either too expensive to market economically, or not certain in action, or too awkward in structure.

Among the objects of the present invention is a tooth brush or related device of relatively simple and inexpensive structure permitting head adjustability with positive control of position.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood that such more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only, and not by way of limitation, since various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art, Without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In connection with that more detailed description there is shown in the accompanying drawing, in

Figure 1 a side elevation of the brush or this invention; in

Figure 2, a side elevation thereof; in

Figure 3, a section on line 33 of Figure l; in

Figure 4, a section on line l4 of Figure 3; in

Figure 5, a section on line 55 of Figure 3; and in Figure 6, a section on line 66 of Figure 3.

In accordance with the present invention, a tooth brush or similar device is produced with an adjustable head easily set and releasably locked in the desired position. For this purpose a sleeve is mounted for reciprocation on the handle, the brush head is rotatably carried on the handle adjacent said sleeve, the sleeve has a notch on the outer end thereof and the brush head having a lug to fit into the notch to hold the brush head in set position. Desirably the sleeve is spring-pressed toward the brush head to maintain the lug and notch in releasably locked position. For this purpose, the handle may have a longitudinal groove adjacent its head end and the sleeve may have a prong desirably struck out of the material of the sleeve which prong rides in the groove to control the reciprocation of the sleeve on the handle. For the most effective structure, the end of the handle carrying the brush head is angularly disposed with respect to the remainder of the handle so that where there are a multiplicity of notches on the sleeve and lugs on the brush head, the latter may be moved into any of several positions. For present purposes, two positions are illustrated apart providing ready accessibility of brush to all desired portions of the teeth or gums.

While a brush head is used to illustrate the invention it may be used with gum exhilarators or any other analogous device with similar advantages.

The brush assembly may be of any desired materials. The handle may be of wood, metal, plastic, or otherwise, the brush head may be of ma terial the same or different from that of the handle. The sleeve may be of plastic or metal. The parts may be contrastingly colored or of similar hue.

Referring to the illustrative drawings, the handle I has an angularly disposed portion 2, the end of which may be reduced in size. The reduced portion 3 adjacent the angularly disposed portion 2 may have grooves 4. There may be one or more of said grooves longitudinally positioned in the reduced portion 3. The portion 5 of the end of the handle may be threaded as at 6 for reception of a brush head I having an internally threaded perforation 8 which may be threaded on the end of the handle.

A sleeve 9 has prongs Hl desirably struck out of the material of the sleeve 9 which prongs enter the grooves 4 on the reduced portion 3 of the handle to control reciprocation of the sleeve on the handle. A coil spring ll surrounds the reduced portion 3 and seats at one end against a shoulder l2 formed by the handle adjacent the reduced portion 3, and seats at the other end against the prongs ID to force the latter toward the head end. The prongs may be formed at the time that the spring is placed in position and surrounded by the sleeve so that these parts are certain to remain together and insure against removal and loss. Or if the metal or plastic is flexible enough, the prongs may be snapped into position at any time. When the prongs H are struck out of the sleeve, notches I3 are formed on an outer edge thereof adjacent the brush head. The latter has lugs M which may enter the notches 13 to lock the head in set position on the brush. A reduced portion [5 on the brush head provides for simple finger manipulation.

In order to move the head to a desired position, the sleeve 9 is moved against the spring action to free the lugs M from the notches [3 whereby the brush head may be rotated on the handle to the desired position, or may be removed completely for cleansing, replacement, or substitution by a gum exhilarator or other device. By

3 having two notches l3 on the sleeve 9, the brush head may take either one of the positions as shown in Figure 1. This enables accessibility to any of the teeth or areas of the gums.

Having thus set forth my invention, I claim:

1. A tooth brush providing angle adjustability of the head comprising a handle, a portion thereof at one end being angularly disposed with respect to the remainder of the handle, the said portion being reduced in size to receive a coil spring mounted thereon and to form a shoulder on which one end of the spring may seat, longi-. tudinal grooves in the reduced end of the handle, a sleeve surrounding said reduced end, prongs struck out of the sleeve to ride in the said grooves to control reciprocation of the sleeve on the handle, thus also providing notches in the sleeve, a coil spring on the reduced end of said handle engaging at one end against the shoulder and at the other against the prongs on the sleeve, a brush head threadedly mounted at the reduced end, and lugs on the brush head to engage in the notches of the sleeve.

2. A tooth brush providing angle adjustability of the head comprising a handle having an end portion which is attached to a brush head, a brush head supported rotatably by said handle for positioning in different operative positions, a spring pressed reciprocating sleeve mounted on said handle at said end portion for holding said brush head in a set position, means for preventing rotation of the sleeve relative to the handle, a lug on said brush head and notches at the upper edge of said sleeve for seating the lug in difierent operative positions of the brush head.

3. A tooth brush providing angle adjustability of the head comprising a handle having an end portion angularly disposed with respect to the remaining portion, said end portion adapted to receive a sleeve, a brush head rotatably carried on said end portion for positioning in different 0perative positions, lugs on said brush head, a spring-pressed reciprocating sleeve mounted on said handle, said sleeve having notches near its upper edge for maintaining said lugs in releasably locked position in the different positions of said brush head, a longitudinal groove in said end portion of said handle and a prong in said sleeve which extends into the groove on the handle to control the reciprocation of said sleeve.

4. A. tooth brush as set forth in claim 3 wherein said prong is struck out from said sleeve to provide a notch therein.

5. A tooth brush providing angle adjustability of the head comprising an angularly shaped handle having a reduced end portion to receive a sleeve, a brush head rotatably carried on said end portion for positioning in different operative positions, a lug on said brush head adapted to engage difierent positions on the upper part of a sleeve, a spring-pressed reciprocating sleeve mounted over said end portion, notches in the upper part of said sleeve to releasably lock the lug and the brush head in different operative positions, longitudinal grooves in said reduced end portion and prongs in said sleeve to ride in said grooves and control the reciprocation of said sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 450,596 Buck et a1 Apr. 14, 1891 1,705,542 Ryser Mar. 19, 1929 1,859,129 Costenbader May 17, 1932 

